The adult humpback whale, first spotted in July, has been seen in shallow water near Main Beach in Santa Cruz. Originally spotted with a companion, the whale -- affectionately named "Stinky" -- has been seen in water as shallow as 25 feet. Ken Stagnaro of Santa Cruz Whale Watching attributes this to a one-of-a-kind diet the whale has likely grown fond of.

"He must have a taste for anchovies and sardines," Stagnaro said.

The small fish tend to be found in more shallow waters and would account for the whale's less-than-pleasant breath that led to his newfound moniker.

Stagnaro said Stinky is about 50 feet in length and likely not even a 'he' -- female humpbacks, he noted, are often larger than their male counterparts.

Stinky, however, has been a sight to see. According to Stagnaro, the month of August was slow for whale watching, and the lone humpback became a spotlight, oftentimes breaching and "putting on a heck of a show."

While it isn't out of the ordinary to see large mammals like Stinky wander into the bay, Stagnaro said it isn't common for them to linger so long.

"This guy is unique because he's in such shallow water every day," Stagnaro said.